U.S. Coast Guard Sinks Drifting Japanese Tsunami Ship

April 06, 2012

An abandoned Japanese fishing vessel that was drifting for one year has been sunk by a U.S. Coast Guard ship.

The "Ryou-UN Maru" was set adrift by the tsunami that followed the massive earthquake in Japan in March 2011.

The vessel drifted unnoticed all the way to the other side of the Pacific Ocean before it was spotted off the coast of Canada.

A Canadian fishing vessel initially claimed salvage rights on the derelict vessel but the Canadian ship's crew later determined the Japanese ship could not be towed.

Since the "Ryou-Un Maru" represented a danger to navigation and was drifting toward Alaska a decision was taken to sink the ship.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/us_coast_guard_sinks_drifting_tsunami_ship/24539419.html

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